Conscientious Objectors facts

While investigating facts about Conscientious Objectors Ww1 and Conscientious Objectors Ww2, I found out little known, but curios details like:

Civilian Public Service (CPS), a US government program that provided conscientious objectors with an alternative to military service during World War II. CPS draftees fought forest fires, helped reform an abusive mental health system, and even acted as test subjects in medical experiments.

how conscientious objectors were treated?

The most decorated enlisted man in the British Army in WWI was a conscientious objector who never fired a single shot. He was a stretcher bearer who won the Victoria cross for charging into fire unarmed and carrying out 3 wounded men on his back

What happened to conscientious objectors in ww2?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what happened to conscientious objectors. Here are 27 of the best facts about Conscientious Objectors Definition and Conscientious Objectors Vietnam War Australia I managed to collect.

what happened to conscientious objectors in ww1?

1. About Desmond Doss, a non-combatant combat medic with an infantry company serving in World War II. At the Battle of Okinawa, he single handedly saved 75 mens lives, one at a time whilst under gunfire, becoming the only conscientious objector to receive the medal of honour for his actions.

2. George R.R. Martin objected to Vietnam War and was fairly quickly granted conscientious objector status, with the draft board reasoning that being branded a coward for life would be enough punishment for not serving.

3. Desmond Doss is the first and only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. During the Battle of Okinawa, he aided and saved the lives of 75 wounded infantrymen. He did not carry a weapon or kill enemy soldiers.

4. In World War II conscientious objectors took part in an experiment in which they were starved for six months to decide how to treat victims of mass starvation in Europe

5. Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian conscientious objector who told the Nazis that he would not fight for the evil side. He was executed.

6. Muhammad Ali was a conscientious objector and refused to enlist during the Vietnam War. He was sentenced to 5 years' prison but never actually went owing to appeals.

7. During WWI a group of British conscientious objectors were sent to France where it would be possible to execute them for refusing to fight

8. One study found that only 15-20% of combat infantry were able to fire their weapons on the enemy and there were 80% that were de facto conscientious objectors during WWII

Why were conscientious objectors treated so badly?

You can easily fact check why was the status of conscientious objectors a constitutional issue by examining the linked well-known sources.

Alvin York went from backwoods conscientious objector to a WW1 medal of honor recipient after capturing 132 German soldiers, 32 machine guns and killing 20 more Germans in one battle. Then he shyed away from the limelight when he returned home.

This was an unpopular opinion, only made worse when Eddington was drafted and refused to fight under recognized conscientious objector status. While he was legally allowed to register as a CO, it was considered unpatriotic and cowardly by the public.

The ACLU was originally founded as the Civil Liberties Bureau after World War I broke out in 1917 to oppose the creation of a draft and protect conscientious objectors to World War I. - source

The term “conscientious objector” did not originate with Vietnam or any other war-time conscription effort but rather for those in the UK that chose not to participate in public vaccination campaigns.

When scientists put 36 conscientious objectors?

There are only 3 US soldiers in history who received the medal of honor as a conscientious objector: Desmond Doss (WW2), Thomas Bennett (Vietnam), and Joseph LaPointe Jr. (Vietnam). Both Bennett and LaPointe were KIA.

How were conscientious objectors treated in ww1?

George R.R. Martin, the author of the Game of Thrones applied for, and was granted, conscientious-objector status during the Vietnam War draft.

In 1944 the USA starved 36 conscientious objectors, all volunteers, to study the effect on their body and mind

In the US, you can be a "conscientious objector" and refuse to be drafted and perform civil or noncombatant service in lieu of combatant military service.

George R.R. Martin was a conscientious objector during Vietnam, and was forced to perform alternative service

Madison's original draft of the 2nd amendment contained a conscientious objector clause, allowing people to opt-out of the 'well-regulated militias' on spiritual grounds.